La Liga Side Elche's Fan Group Takes Responsibility For Racist Chants

The "main supporters group" of La Liga side Elche has "publicly admitted" it was responsible for "racist abuse directed at Granada defender Allan-Romeo Nyom" on Saturday, according to Gareth Messenger of INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL. The match official stopped the game in the 89th minute so "the stadium announcer could tell those inside the ground to stop directing monkey chants at the player." Fans group "Agrupacion de Penas del Elche CF" ("Elche FC Group of Sorrows") said in a statement, "The Agrupacion regrets the contempt shown towards an opponent, for the serious consequences which can be taken as a result against the club, set out in the law against violence, racism and xenophobia, and for the negative image which this gives of our fans." A La Liga club "where the supporters are found guilty of racist abuse can be fined" up to €60,000 ($82,800) and "have their ground closed for subsequent games" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 10/30).

CLUB EXCUSED: The EFE reported the Spanish Football Federation's (RFEF) Competition Committee said in a statement that it has "exceptionally exempted Elche from any responsibility for what happened during the game." The Competition Committee "did, however, warn Elche that it should adopt preventive measures to keep similar incidents from being repeated." The committee "highlighted the collaboration between the club and the referee and the diligence in identifying the authors of the reprehensible conduct" (EFE, 10/30).